The “I” Word

22.02.12 | HBSMax MartyPeter ThielUMass BostonVCangelgreenwichharvardhedgiesinnovationsciencestamfordstanfordtechnologyventureyaleblueseed

They’re everywhere- innovation labs. Is this America’s way to stimulate business amid a long recovery? Gone are the days when patent royalties were a bonus - universities seem to have no choice but to encourage “innovation” and thereby many big name schools are devoting space and money to new I labs. Many wealthy entrepreneurs and major cities are also committing funds with the hope that incubators will lead to revenue and job creation.

In the academic setting, it will be interesting to see how this plays out because some science genres are more conducive to commercialization while other lay the groundwork for future generations’ work, which may be deemed “innovation.”

Pop the top for info on various i labs. Who will win? Maybe we should ask the Broads to judge a contest with Thiel, Zuckerberg, and a few Silicon Valley and Alley directors and lawyers. But then we’d have a really tough decision to make: which coast would the contest be on?

Blueseed - Floating Incubator Leave it to Paypal Founder and Facebook Investor Peter Thiel to fund a boat-based incubator. Yes please! Thiel helped seed the idea developed by CEO and co-Founder Max Marty. I’m sure the INS is thrilled. I’m just wondering if they’ll take Americans.

Harvard i-lab It seems Faust is trying to bring the talent at the many Harvard schools together through the i-lab.

Y Combinator - Startup bootcamp if you’re lucky enough to get in. The advice is allegedly more valuable the financial investment b/c ~$17K for 6% equity seems a bit high. Their FAQ section is quite informative.  

Connecticut -not quite as storied as Mass., dreamy as Cali, or hip as NYC, this tri-state member sits in the shadows of NY but CT is home to plenty of suits from the bankers in Stamford to the hedgies in Greenwich. The NYTimes posted this piece on a new I lab. 

Stanford StartX, formerly SSE Labs The word “innovation” need not really be used in the Silicon Valley, land of the dreamers. It’s assumed, along with office attire that may = flip flops and tees.  

UMass Boston Venture Development Center As the school works to improve the image of the business school, they also tout the Venture Development Center, which offers space to budding science and technology entrepreneurs, among other perks.

I could go on but this handful is enough for now. Again I wonder is there room for Boston in this startup scene? Silicon Valley (CA), Silicon Alley (NY), and Silicon Harbor (MA)? Doesn’t have a ring to it but let’s keep the faith…

Harvard Revisits Allston Plans

18.11.11 | 5 notes | harvardcambridgebostonallstonlife scienceshealth sciencesdevelopmentconferenceHBS

Harvard is revisiting the Allston development plans, among others, according to Harvard magazine, which cited the Sept. 19 letter from The Corporation. Among the plans are:

1) The Harvard Life and Health Sciences center, which is dependent on funding from the upcoming capital campaign.

2) Issue RFPs to third-party developers to build Harvard affiliated housing for rent along Western Ave and N. Harvard Street.

3) Find partners to help construct an enterprise business campus and hotel conference center for the 36-acre “Allston Landing North.”

Click here for recommendations the Allston Work Team submitted to The Corp. in June 2011.

Brains, Balls & Humility

18.10.11 | 35 notes | AdobeHarvardMicrosoftSponsored Research AdministrationThomas SzaszVLookup

“Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily.” - Thomas Szasz

Sometimes the most one learns on the job is his or her own weaknesses. I suppose those of us that see potential in ourselves take mistakes as a blow to the ego. But, I’ve learned that if one isn’t even a little bit challenged, overwhelmed, at work, then one should’ve left that job some time ago.

While I am learning a lot about Harvard policies and Sponsored Research Administration, I think I’m actually learning more about my own practices, best practices I want to adopt for myself, and interpersonal and relationship skills I want to improve. Working as an SRA at Harvard, one learns how to live in the gray area all the time. You learn to have a bigger appetite for risk and to think outside the box to make things happens.

Here’s my list of to-dos. I figure if I post this, I’ll hold myself to these goals, tangible and intangible.

1. Talk less, listen more.

2. Count to 10 before unleashing the rant. Could I complain to myself and sound a bit more professional?

3. Take a walk, even for just five minutes, every day. A daily departure from the cubicle is imperative.

4. Before submitting items for review, think about what the reviewer wants to see. Similarly, before submitting summaries to superiors, think about questions they might ask and situations that could potentially impact the account.

5. Embrace networking groups. While your peers might not help you get a new job, they can probably help you perform better in your current role

6. Explore the many tools in Adobe Pro and Microsoft Office 2010. From splitting up PDFs to using pivot tables, macros, color coding cell commands, and VLookup, there are many ways to use simple technology to improve efficiency and depend less on manual processes that are subject to human error.

All in all, I want to learn. There are plenty of people that have more experience, patience and knowledge about my environment and field, but most of them have a major disadvantage - they’ve become complacent and comfortable. The difference is I’m willing to make changes and I know how much I don’t know -a LOT! I’m starting to embrace discomfort because it means I’m learning. I see myself as a valuable raw material that will become more valuable once it is molded into a product.